5 Leaf-Peeping Road Trips In MD: When Foliage Peaks

MARYLAND — Fall foliage is about three weeks away from peak brilliance in Maryland, making the time ripe for a fall leaf-peeping road trip.

According to an interactive fall foliage map, the leaves in Maryland should be popping Oct. 14, and peak that week in the western counties, while the rest of the state should see peak colors Oct. 21. The southern tip of the Eastern Shore will peak Oct. 28.

Many of Maryland’s trees are changing color earlier than usual this year due to drought, and recent rains came too late to bolster this year’s foliage show. Expect to see more yellow and gold tones, and fewer reds and purples, said the state's fall foliage report.

Washington County Forester Aaron Cook has reported that leaf color changes are picking up in the understory of the South Mountain forest.

Melissa Nash, Garrett and Allegany Project Manager for the Maryland Forest Service, says Mountain Maryland is experiencing a “rolling peak,” with trees hitting their climax at different times. Leaves are two weeks ahead of schedule in Maryland’s westernmost jurisdiction.

The map, from the travel site Smokymountains.com uses a refined data model based on historical and forecast temperatures and precipitation, the types of trees prominent in specific geographic areas, and real-time user reports.

The map is easy to use. The slider at the bottom resets weekly to include the latest data. To see when leaves are expected to peak, move the slider to the right. Leaves haven’t started changing yet in green areas, and the brown color means foliage has passed its peak.

As with any meteorological forecast dependent upon weather variables, leaf predictions aren’t always 100 percent accurate, but the map does give Maryland leaf-peepers a good shot at seeing autumn leaves when they turn their most blazing reds, vibrant orange and sunny yellows.

Here are several Maryland fall leaf-peeping road trips:

• Patapsco Valley State Park stretches 32 miles along the Patapsco River in Baltimore and Howard counties and offers some of the best autumn scenery in Maryland.
• Turkey Point Lighthouse Trail, North East: Set atop a 100-foot bluff, the lighthouse provides a 360-degree view of the Chesapeake Bay and all the fall colors. As you take the two-mile trek up to the lighthouse, you’ll get to experience the beauty of Elk Neck State Park located on a peninsula between the Chesapeake Bay and the Elk River.
• Adkins Arborteum: Across its 400 acres, this garden features more than 600 species of plants, ranging from trees and shrubs to wildflowers and grasses near Ridgeley in Caroline County. Trek the five miles of paths through the grounds of the arboretum.
• Oregon Ridge Park near Cockeysville has hiking trails that showcase a tree-scape of yellow, orange and red.
• Other areas to visit close to the Baltimore-Washington metro area: Gwynnbrook Wildlife Management Area in Owings Mills, Baltimore County; Sugar Loaf Mountain Natural Resource Area in southern Frederick County; Seneca Creek State Park just southwest of Gaithersburg; and Dierssen Wildlife Management Area situated between the C&O Canal and the Potomac River in Montgomery County, offering first-rate opportunities for waterfowl watching and quiet interludes for strollers along the Canal Tow Path.